Digital video cameras (hereinafter, referred to as “DVC”s) that use a recording medium that can be randomly accessed, such as an optical disc, a hard disk drive, and a flash memory, are becoming widespread as image sensing apparatuses that record moving images. Further, digital still cameras serving as image sensing apparatuses that record still images (hereinafter, referred to as “DSC”s) with a function for recording moving images have become common.
Such an image sensing apparatus has the feature that a recorded moving image (or still image) can be randomly accessed, and that it is highly compatible with other processing apparatuses such as a personal computer (PC). In recent years, using such a feature, it is normal to create a moving image file (snap movie) that lasts for a short time from the moving image recorded with the image sensing apparatus, attach the created file to an electronic mail or the like and transmit or release the created file to the public on a Web page.
In view of this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-20484 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-259390 propose an image sensing apparatus in which a normal recording mode for continuously recording in response to a user instruction as much as the capacity of a recording medium allows or a fixed time recording mode for automatically recording for only a fixed time (for example, 5 seconds or 10 seconds) can be selected. With such an image sensing apparatus, a snap movie can be easily created by selecting the fixed time recording mode.
However, according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-20484, once recording is started in the fixed time recording mode, it is only possible to wait until recording is stopped after a fixed period elapses, or discontinue recording before a fixed period elapses. Therefore, if a more impressive scene appears before a fixed time elapses, that is, if periods that are to be recorded as videos overlap, there is a possibility that a desired video cannot be recorded.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-259390 discloses a technique for independently extracting each video if the periods that are to be recorded as videos overlap in the fixed time recording mode. However, according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-259390, if the periods that are to be recorded as videos overlap, since one of or both of the videos are cut off so as not to have an overlapping portion, there are cases in which a video may not be recorded during the period expected by the user.